Navy Department Communique No. 252
JANUARY 16, 1943
South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).
- During the night of January 13th-14th U. S. aircraft bombed Japanese positions at Munda on New Georgia Island. Results were not reported.
- On January 14th:
- (a) During the morning U. S. planes bombed Sorum village, 3 miles east of the Japanese airfield on the southern end of Buka Island.
- (b) During the morning a force of “Dauntless” dive bombers (Douglas A-24) escorted by “Wildcat” (Grumman F4F) and “Airacobra” (Bell P-39) fighters attacked 9 Japanese destroyers 140 miles northwest of Lunga Point on Guadalcanal. Twelve enemy “Zeros” intercepted the attack and 8 were shot down. One of our dive bombers was forced down and 5 of our fighters failed to return. The dive bombers pressed home the attack and seriously damaged 2 of the enemy destroyers.
- (c) During the morning a U. S. plane patrolling the vicinity of Guadalcanal shot down three Japanese “Zeros.”
- (d) During the afternoon “Flying Fortress” heavy bombers (Boeing B-17) with “Lightning” Lockheed P-38), “Airacobra” and “Warhawk” (Curtiss P-40) escort attacked 5 enemy destroyers 37 miles southeast of Faisi in the Shortland Island area. No hits on the enemy vessels were scored but 12 of the enemy float-type biplanes which intercepted the attack were shot down. No U. S. planes were lost.
- (e) During the evening a force of dive bombers with “Wildcat” and “Airacobra” escort attacked an enemy cargo ship 37 miles north Munda. Two direct hits and 4 near hits were scored and the ship was left burning. Our “Wildcats” and “Airacobras” drove off 12 “Zeros” which attempted to intercept and shot down 7 of them. One U. S. fighter failed to return.
- On January 15th:
- (a) During the early morning a “Catalina” reconnaissance plane (Consolidated PBY) attacked a group of five Japanese destroyer 16 miles northeast of the Russell Islands. One direct and two near hits damaged one of the destroyers, which was left burning.